Fuse for projectiles



QR 10 "w" se 'i. 16. 1924.

.1. H. GOSS FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Filed Aug/12,

\02. AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. G058, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO SCOVILL MANUFACTUR-ING COMPANY, OF WATERBURYZ, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- CUT.

FUSE FOR PROJECTILES.

Application filed August 12, 1919. Serial No. 317,058.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. Goss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waterbury, c'ounty of New Haven, and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuses for Projectiles, fully described and represented in the following specificationand the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fuses for projectiles.

In time fuses, the period of time between the firing of the projectileand its explosion is determined by varying the length of time which thecharge of the fuse burns, that is, the burning period of the fuse chargeis so calculated that the exploding charge of the projectile will beignited a certain length of time after the projectile leaves the gun. Itwill be readily understood that accuracy in this burning period of thefuse is of great importance, particularly where the projectiles withwhich these fuses are used have high velocity, because obviously slightvariations in the length of the burning period of the fuse result inwide variations in the position which the projectile occupies at thetime of the explosion.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved time fuse inwhich the burning time or rate can be determined with a high degree ofaccuracy, so that uniformity in the time of explosion of the projectileis secured.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainconstructions, and in certain parts, improvements and combinations aswill be hereinafter fully described and then more fully pointed out.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention,

Figure 1 illustrates, in side elevation, a Eime fuse embodying theimproved construcion.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the construction shown inFigure 1, on a somewhat larger scale.

In the concrete embodiment of the invention, which has been selected forillustration, 1 indicates the body of the fuse, the body bemg providedwith a chamber in which the exploding charge 3 of the fuse is located,

the chamber being closed by a screw cap 2,

4 by which the fuse is attached to the projectile. The body of the fuseis also provided with a shoulder 5 on which rests a ring 6, this ringcontaining a powder channel 7, a gasket 8 being interposed between thering and the shoulder. An opening 10 is provided in the fuse body inwhich is located a powder plug 11, this opening registering with anopening 12 in the gasket 8. The ring is provided with an opening 13 inwhich a powder plug is located. Superposed upon the ring 6 is anotherring 14 which is also provided with a powder channel 15 and a gasket 16is located between the two rings, this gasket having an opening 17 whichregisters with the powder plug in the opening 13 in the lower, or, as itis usually termed, setting ring, this setting ring being provided withsetting graduations 18, as shown in Fig. 1'. The ring 6 is free to berotated around the body of the fuse, but the upper ring 14 is preventedfrom rotation around the fuse, usually by being pinned to the body ofthe fuse.

The rings are fashioned to provide gas channels or flues, marked 19 and19 respectively, these channels or flues being in communication throughan opening 20. An opening 21 leads upwardly from the channel 19 in thering 14:. The rings are held in position by a screw cap 22 which isthreaded to the body of the fuse, this cap being provided with flue orgas escape channel 23, which channel has passages 24 leading upwardlytherefrom. In the particular fuse shown, the top of the cap 25 is ofumbrella or mushroom shape, the openings 24 terminating under theoverhang of the top.

The f use is provided with the usual concussion primer 26 supported by asplit ring 27, and with the usual firing pin 28.

In the operation of this fuse, which, as so far described, is ofwell-known construction, when the projectile is fired the set backcauses the concussion primer to move back against the firing pin 28.This ignites the concussion primer which, through the opening 29,ignites a powder plug 30 and the plug in turn ignites the charge in thering 15. This charge burns and ignites the powder plug in the opening13, the flame passing through the opening 17 in the gasket 16, thisignition taking place earlier or later, according to the setting of thering 6. This burning powder plug ignites the powder 1n ations.

the channel ring 6 which burns and, through the opening 12 in the gasket8, ignites the powder plug 10 in the opening 11 which ignites andexplodes the charge 3 which causes the explosion of the projectile. As

the charges in the rings burn, the generated gases are supposed toescape into'the flues or channels 19, 19', and through the openings 20and 21 [into the flue or channel 23 and then out through the fiues 24:.The burning period of the fuse is determined by rotating the settin ring6 to the desired point, as indicated hy the gradu- This rotation of thesetting ring changes the position of the openings through which theflame of the burning charge in the upper ring is communicated tothecharge in the lower ring and the burning of the charge in the lowerring is transmitted to the powder plug 11, and thus lengthens orshortens the amount of powder which must burn before the explodingcharge in the fuse is ignited. The position of the setting ring iseffected by a suitable tool or wrench at the time when the projectile isloaded in the gun.

In fuses of this type, as heretofore constructed, the top cap 22 hasbeen screwed down on the rings so as to force the rings together astightly as possible and yet permit the positloning of the setting ringto be effected at the time the projectile is loaded into the gun. Thecap, after having been thus screwed down, has been locked in position,as, for instance, by a radial pin which extends through the wall of thecap and into the screw threads by which the "cap was secured to thebody.

In using projectiles provided with this fuse in antiaircraft guns, wherea very high Velocity of the projectile is attained, Wide variations inthe time of explosion were noted. It will be understood, of course, thatthe various channels or flue openings 4 in the fuse are so designed asto cause the gases developed to set up a certain gas pressure on theburning powder. Inasmuch as in the fuse construction described, the

powder should burn at the determined rate which is,.of course,influenced by the escape of the generated gases, the variations in thetime of explosion noted may be attributed to improper or unexpectedescape of the burning gases. If, for instance, under the very greatforces developed in firing, the rings are forced back against theirgaskets, so as to unduly compress the gaskets, and the locked top capcannot move on account of the look, a crevice or opening would open upbetween the top of the top ring and the lower edge ofthe top cap. Shouldthis occur, the gases, instead of passing put through the flue openingsin the cap 24 provided for them and through whichit is des gned andexpected that they will escape, would escape, to some extent, throughthe opening referred to which would be formed in the manner describedbetween the top ring and the lower edge of the top cap. Should the!generated gases escape other than through the fines or channels providedfor them, it will, of course, be understood that the gas pressure on theburning powder will not be that which the fuse is designed to effect,and, therefore, the burning rate of the powder will vary.

According to the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated anddescribed herein, the top cap, after being screwed down against therings, as before described, instead of being locked, as by the radialpin referred to, is left free to turn down on the threads on the fusebody. The cap, therefore, under the great forces developed on the I dueto the rifiing, is free to turn down and thus follow up any unduesetting back of the rings. Crevices or openings between the lower edgeof the cap and the top ring or between the ringsv cannot, therefore, beformed and the gases developed by-burning will be compelled to traversethe flue passages provided for them. Nith this construction, therefore,the gas pressure in the fuse, during the burning of the charge, will bethat which the fuse is designed to effect. .At all events, it has beenfound in practical operation that projectiles equipped with the fuseheretofore described and in the rings so tightly that the setting ringcan only be moved by the proper wrench or tool, and it is important'thatthis relative position of the parts be maintained. While, in theimproved construction, this may be effected in various ways, in theconstruction illustrated, the ring 14 is provided with a short recess 31and the lower edge o-f the cap is provided with an integral projection32 which engages that recess, this projection being formed by punchingdown the metal of the cap. The projection and recess are so related thatwhen the parts of the fuse are assembled and the cap is screwed down tohold the rings, as above described, the shoulder 32 will bear againstthe rear shoulder 33 of the recess 31. With this construction, while thecap is free to turn to move down on the thread. on the fuse 102.AMMUNITION \AND EXPLOSIVE DEVICES era-te body, it cannot move in thereverse direction and, therefore, the parts of the fuse cannot loosenafter assem lin Constructions which embody the invention include meansby which the parts of the fuse can automatically respond to the greatforces developed at the time of firing the projectile in such a way asto prevent gas leaks, that is, to prevent the escape of the gases otherthan through the fines or channels provided for their escape. While thisis effectively accomplished in the particular construction which hasbeen heretofore described, it is to be understood that changes andvariations may be made in this construction and that the invention isnot, therefore, to be limited to the specific embodiment heretoforedescribed.

' What is claimed is:

1. A fuse including a body, a charge containing part carried by thebody, said part having a flue through which the gases generated duringfiring may escape, and a cap carried by the body and provided with a gasescape flue, said cap being free to move under the forces developedduring firing and by its movement maintain said fiues gas tightthroughout their lengt 2. A fuse including a body, a charge containingpart carried by the body, said part having a flue through which thegases genduring firin may escape, a cap also carried by the b0 y andprovided with a gas esca e flue, said cap being free to move under t eforces developed during firing and by 1ts movement main-tam said finesgas tightthroughout their length, and means for, locking the cap againstmovement in the reverse direction.

fuse including) a body, charge conainmg rings carrled y the fuse, saidrings being provided with gas escape fines, and a cap carried by thebody and freeto move toward the rings under the forces developed durinfiring.

1:4 fuse including a body, charge contaming rings, and a cap, said ringsand cap being provided with flues through which the gases generateddurin firing may escape, and said cap being free to move toward therings under the forces developed during firing and by its movementmaintain said fines gas tight throughout their length.

said capbeing free to turn down on its thread toward the chargecontaining parts under the forces developed during firing, and means forlocking the cap against movement in the reverse direction.

7. A fuse including a body, charge containing rin s mounted on the body,one of said rings being rotatable on the body, a gasket between therings, a gasket between one of the rings and the body, and a capthreaded on the body, said cap and rmgs having gas escape lines, andsaid cap, being threaded to the body and being free to turn down on thebody toward the rings under the forces developed during firing.

8. A fuse including a body, charge containing rings mounted on the body,one of said rings being rotatable on the body, a gasket between therings, a gasket between one of the rings and the body, a cap threaded onthe body, said cap and rings having gas escape fines, and said cap beingthreaded to the body and being free to turn down on the body toward therings under the forces developed during firing, and means for lockingthe cap against movement in the reverse direction. 9. A fuse including abody having a shoulder, two charge containing rings mounted on the body,one of said rings being rotatable on the body, a gasket between therings, a gasket between one ring and said shoulder, said rings havinggas escape fiues, -a mushroom-shaped cap threaded on said body andhaving gas escape fines terminating under the overhang of the cap, andsaid cap being free to turn down on the body toward the rings under theforces developed in firing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. GOS'S.

